CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

1. STUDIES RELATED TO ALCOHOL ABUSE AND

PERSONALITY
2. STUDIES RELATED TO ALCOHOL ABUSE AND SOCIO-
ECONOMIC STATUS

36
 CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
There is a great need to review literature so that one can avoid duplication in doing
unwanted research which has no application in the field. Although much work had been
done abroad and National level but in Gujarat, research in the alcohol abuse is
comparatively a new field. The studies available in India are few. They are mostly cross-
sectional and not representative of the population studies. They have several
methodological flaws and the investigators have used definitions and parameters which
are not strictly comparable. The conclusions to be drawn from them can at best, be only
tentative. This is also true of the data collected about alcohol abuse.
The abuse of alcohol is one of the most serious problems facing our society. The
costs of alcohol abuse are astronomical; The prise is paid in the form of lost productivity
as well as higher costs for health care aid, to families and law enforcement.
Alcohol abuse is called a deviant behaviour among the members of the society
which ultimately deteriorates the personality organization. They loose adjustment
possessing lack of social responsibilities and self analysis and become emotionally
immature.
Some researches has been made to discover whether the personality
characteristics of alcohol abusers are different from normal.

1. STUDIES RELATED TO ALCOHOL ABUSE AND PERSONALITY

Mac Andrews (1983) reported that alcoholics are reward seekers, aggressive and
helonistic. With regards to personality, alcoholics lend to score higher on the
psychopathic deviance scale (Miller, 1976). Cox (1986) showed that alcoholics have
poor impulse control, are bold, aggressive, pleasure seeking individuals, non
conforming and have a strong need for immediate gratification. Colinger (1987)
reported that alcoholics have three personality traits, novelty seeking have avoidance
and reward dependence. Forsyth (1987) investigated the interaction between
personality traits like neurotism, anxiety, depression, sensation seeking behaviour and
extroversion and to drink alcohol in different situation like stressful events. Desire to
drink was greater in stressful situation for those who scored higher on neuroticism.

37
 Rangaswamy (1983) compared the personality and life events of alcoholics and
found that alcoholics are extroverted, neurotic and experienced much more life stress
one prior to addiction than normals. Negalaxmi and Rao (1989) showed that alcoholics
significantly differed on personal adjustment and social adjustment and that alcoholics
have poor personal and social adjustment compared to normals. Filsteal (1983) reports
that about 69% male alcoholics have high scores on depression. Neeliyara, Nagalaxmi
and Ray (1985) found that alcoholics show a high psychopathic state. Donovan, (1986)(
found that alcoholics scored consistently high on psychopathic deviate scale of MMPI.
Schukitt (1983) reports that home life of an alcoholics is confusing and unpredictable.
Schaefer (1971) concluded that alcoholism is conditioned response to anxiety.
The individual presumably finds alcohol a means of relieving anxiety, resentment,
depression, or other unpleasant feelings resulting from stressful aspect of his life
situation. Each time he drinks and experiences relief of tension, his drinking pattern is
reinforced: eventually it become his habitual way of coping with stress. Horton (1943)
found that the greater the insecurity level of the culture, the greater the amount alcohol
consumption-due allowance having been made for the availability and acceptability of
alcohol.
Sharma (1995) concluded that the addictive personality precedes addiction and
that addiction may not create the addictive personality. In a study by Helzer and
Pryjbeck (1988) psychiatric diagnosis was more prevalent among alcoholics that none
alcohols. Alcoholics like depressives have higher incidence of suicide that normal
population. (Conwell et. al. 1996; Ben;esohn & Rwsnik, 1974). The Co-occurrence of
alcoholics very considerably from 16% to 68% (Hasinetal 1988. Hert et. al. 1990,
Davidson, 1995;) One study of personality characteristics of alcohol-abusing
adolescents found them to have negative feelings about themselves to be irresponsible,
immature, impulsive, dogmastic, defensive, undependable, self-centered, distrustful and
non-conformist (Mayer. 1998). Earlywine (1990) supported that individual
characteristics as a stronger predictor of drinking behaviour.

Skinner, Jackson and Hoffman (1974) More typically a number or

personality patterns are found among alcoholics. There is evidence that chronic
drinking causes rather than results from impulsivity, low-self esteem, anxiety or
depression.(Valliant & Milofsky 1982, 1983 ). Hurlburt (1994) examined

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personality differences between native American and Caucasian alcoholics and
supported to a theory or persistent personality traits or alcohol. Hesselbrock
(1992) found that relationship of family history, antisocial personality disorder
and personality traits in young men at risk for alcoholism. Ibatov ( 1991) found
a sensitive premorbid state in cronic alcoholics.
Steer (1986) Loaks (1990) Haack (1989), Roosa (1989) Mcdermolt (1989)
studies are related the depression studies are related the depression to alcoholism.
Gustafson ( 1989) found no difference among groups and no interaction among been
frustration and aggression. Chouhan and Chaudhary ( 1992) found significant difference
between smokers, Alcoholics and Drug Addicts on certain personality variables.
Schuckit ( 1990) found that the histories ·of primary alcoholic did non indicated an
elevated incidence of either panic disorder or generalized anxiety that was independent
of heavy drinking. Chesler ( 1991) found that the anxiety and the alcohol consumption
arc directly related.
Bhavana Sandhu & R.K Gunthey concluded that alcoholism creates a different
personality easily vulnenable to anxiety, insecurity, lacking close emotional ties and
which tends to rationalize preference for uncontrolled drinking and makes one
excessively emotional. llofTman ( 1976) R.M Schwaez, B.R. lnkart. and B. Greens (1978)
Alcoholics are found to be extrovert, sensation seeking and neurotic as compared to
normal population. L. N. Suman and agalakshmi (1993), S.K. Majumdar ( 1996)
Alcoholics have low level of self concept high anxieties in interpersonal relation,
ambivalence towards authority and isolationism. Burno ( 1986) describes a frequently
encountered variant of alcoholic patients personality with non Psychopathic premorbid
features, i.e. kind heartness, fualtlessness, cordiality, vulnerability. Zaninalli (1992)
examined differences in 3D personality questions in males at high and low risk for
alcoholics and found both insigificant differences on certain personality factors.
0' Hara (1991) studied knowledge, attitude and behaviour differences regarding
alcohol use in a sample of undergraduate students at an urban university and observed
that non addicts have negative attitude towards addicts. Whipele and Nobel (1991)
found in comparative study of the sons of alcoholics were relatively more compulsive,
insecure and fearful while being more subdued and detached than sons of non
alcoholics. Wiseman, Eve J.. Souder Elaine & O'Sullivan, Patricia (1996) Hypothesized
that denial of alcoholism because the older alcoholic had experienced more physical,
emotional and social consequences of drinking. Denial of alcohol-related problems was

39
compared in 14 older (mean age 62.1 yrs) and 32 younger inpatients (mean age 45.1
yrs) with alcohol dependence. Data suggest that older Ss exhibited denial of alcoholism
severity as frequently as younger Ss with the same diagnosis. Dude, K.C. and Handa, S.K.
(1971) found that mental illness among alcohol users was significantly lower than
among users of other drug use in psychotics was much higher than among
psychoneurotics and normals.

2. STUDIES RELATED TO ALCOHOL ABUSE AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS

Bales ( 1946) outlined three cutural factors that appears to play a part in
determining the incidence of alcoholism in a given society; (a) The degree of stress and
inner tenssion produced by the culture; (b) The attitude toward drinking fostered by
the culture; and (c) The degree to which the culture provides substitute means of
satisfaction and other way a coping with tension and anxiety. S.K. Verma (1975) All
belonged to low SES class. Most experienced social disability and physical ailments and
were suspicious of the motives of research staff. They experienced guilt, heeded the
advice of the family members and were fairly motivated to change their drinking habits.
Banu, Zakiya & Agrwal K.G. (1978) Suggests that not only socio-economic reasons but
their are some psychological reason too like frustration, anxiety, etc. which compel
them to take alcohol. Sonalkar, Wamhma. (1975) If adivasi women can take active steps
to banish alcoholism from their villages, urban women can take a leaf out of their book
and put right the injustices in their communities.
Agrawal S.M., Arora V.K., Pramanik K.B. (1982) Age, sex, extent and patterns of
lesion in the lungs did not show any significant difference in the present study. Subjects
were mainly from the low socio-economic group. Defaulters personality traits were
found to be out going, less intelligent, venturesome, tough-minded, shrewd and have got
more self conflicts within them. Usual motivation is ineffective on them. Psychothearapy
on consultation by the psychiatrist is required. Somasundaram (1976) Studied on the
14 industrial workers, 5 suffered from tremulousnees, 2 from transitory
tremuloushallucinatory state, 2 from auditory hallucinosis and one from delirium
tremens. Sterk-Elifson, Claire (1996) Studied on 13 middle class cocaine users who
participated in semistructured in depth interviews. The subjects were introduced 10
cocaine by a male or female friend. Although all women continued to use cocaine, they
had to develop their own cocaine connections and their use become less linked to
personal relationship.

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